I want to start with a disclaimer, lest anyone think I’m some super-serious runner: This morning, I ran for just shy of three miles without walking. That’s the longest I’ve ever run without walking at some point in the middle. My goal is to run a 5k this Sunday without walking (we’ve done a ton of 5k races, but I’ve always, always walked a few minutes in the middle). That said, I’ve set my sights on finishing a 10k and have downloaded the C210k training app for my phone. It actually starts with the C25k trainer, which marks my third time through that program.

My point: I’m no running pro. Nor am I a vet or a medical pro or a nutritionist or a trainer or anything other than a writer. This post is for informational purposes only and just chronicles my experience. The reason I’m writing this is because I have gotten SO MANY questions about running with Cooper that I thought I could assemble them into one monster “running with dogs” post.

If you’ve sent me Qs about running with your dog, I hope I addressed them here. If not, or if this sparks more questions, please do leave them in the comments so I can provide the best info possible!

OK, lace up those sneaks and let’s get going!

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How do I train my dog to run with me?

Just like you train your dog to do anything else: slow and steady! You have to start with your dog’s fitness level. Way back when I did my first round of C25k, I was in terrible shape and recovering from a year of chemo. I was in worse shape than my pups, probably, but we started ever so slowly. I highly recommend that app (thank you, Erin, for the initial recommendation) as a starting point.

Taking a big step back, though, I think it’s super important to train your dog to walk well with you first (see the next big point), so if your walking skills aren’t yet solid, go back to that basic foundation and start working on loose-leash walking. If you need to review some tips to achieve that, check out these two posts:

Running with a Dog That Pulls

Without a doubt, the number-one question has been: How can I run with my dog that pulls?

Cooper keeps a loose leash. He’s usually slightly ahead, but he’s got his automatic check-in down pat. He is a great walker.

Except for when he isn’t.

When he isn’t = when we spot a dog, a bunny, a squirrel, some weird patch of wind, a person surprising him in any way (getting out of a vehicle, saying hi, etc.) OR when he anticipates those things happening. That last one is the real problem for us because he knows where every single electrically-fenced-in dog is in the three mile radius around our house.

That said, the rest of the time he really is great. He’s better, actually, when we’re running because he has a purpose. His ears are back. He finds his pace. He just goes, and he loves to run more than anything.

So, for us, our reality is this: We ensure our equipment works great. We run routes we know inside and out. We always have an escape plan. And when he starts to pull? We just “power through,” which is basically reeling him in tightly and sprinting past the perceived threat as quickly as we can.

That’s my best advice for reactive pulling. If your dog only pulls when threatened, well, you can and should keep desensitizing to those threats and then accept some degree of pulling when you’re out for a focused run.

If your dog is just a puller on leash, the best option is to go back to basics: Go back to those loose-leash walking tutorials and work on that like crazy because, for some dogs, running increases that desire to pull (“C’MON LET’S GO, HUMAN!!!!”) so you have to have it down pat.

Gear for Running with Your Dog

I mentioned ensuring our equipment works great. I honestly can’t stress this enough. If you’re running with your dog, your running gear is critical to your and your dog’s safety.

No matter the dog, no matter the distance or terrain, no matter the weather, I strongly recommend running with your dog on a harness rather than a collar. It’s safer. It alleviates pressure on your dog’s neck, and since he’ll be breathing hard, that’s extra important. The type of harness is up to you and your needs.

Cooper has a ton of different harnesses. He has one we use primarily for hiking and another that has saddlebags. The one with the saddlebags is his absolute best harness, and he walks and runs with purpose with that thing. It’s way too hot right now to use it, though. So, we’re currently running with this para-cord one because we’re going so early in the morning that I wanted something reflective, and it’s light without much body coverage to cause him to overheat. Some people prefer front-clip harnesses for runs. They’ve never worked for Coop because he pulls really freaking hard in the opposite direction to counter the drag. Choose what’s best for you and your pup.

As for the leash, you don’t need bells and whistles. I wish with all my heart Cooper could get accustomed to a waist leash so that I could be hands-free, but we’re not there yet. Right now he’s using just a thick, six-foot nylon lead. Nothing fancy. It works perfectly.

All that said, I prefer and recommend metal hardware instead of plastic. Plastic snaps, the end.

There’s a ton of other running gear for dogs out there. If it’s too hot or too cold, you might want to look into boots. Coop has a set we use when the roads are salted. Sunscreen is another great product to consider. Beyond that? If you’re a distance or trail runner, think about water on the go, and everything else is sort of extra that you may or may not need–just use common sense!

And poop bags. Everyone needs poop bags.

Best Dog Breeds for Running

“Can I train my fill-in-breed-here to be my running buddy?”

Probably, but maybe not. Some dog breeds are predisposed to running (just like some are predisposed to water or herding), but not every individual of those predisposed breeds will like/can do the activity. And, I honestly don’t think this is the right question to ask with a few exceptions: Like, your basset probably isn’t going to complete a 10k with you, and it’s really unsafe to run with brachycephalic dogs like pugs and bull mastiffs.

In my opinion, the right question to ask is: “Can I train my dog to be my running buddy?” And you should ask that question of your vet.

Here’s why: Focusing only on your dog’s breed ignores individual variations. You want to make sure your dog’s hips and joints are healthy and his heart is good, and those aren’t breed-specific health checks. Thinking at the individual level, Emmett was a pit mix and wouldn’t run unless it was to a cupcake. Cooper is a pit mix and wouldn’t stop running if we didn’t make him.

You’ll see all sorts of advice on the internet–get a Weimaraner for trails and a Vizsla for long runs, etc.–that may or may not be good advice for you and your dog. That said, if you’re looking to adopt a new dog, be sure to tell the shelter staff that you want a running partner! They can point you to the dogs in their care who will be the right fit, regardless of breed!

When is it too hot to run with your dog? Or, when is it too cold to run with your dog?

General, often-touted rule of thumb: Hold your bare palm to the cement for 15 seconds. Too hot or too cold to do that? It’s too hot or too cold to run with your pup. That said, use common sense. If you have the right gear, you can run in the heat or the cold. Heat requires extra precautions against overheating, so shorter, less-intense runs during the coolest part of the day, or purposefully choosing courses that are shaded can help.

Honestly, though? This is a common-sense issue. If you’re not sure if the temps are too extreme, just assume they are. Better to be cautious than sorry.

How long can I run with my dog?

Sort of like the question above, this depends so much on the weather conditions and your dog’s fitness level. Start slow, like with the C25k program, so that your dog slowly builds endurance, then be cognizant of your running conditions.

Cooper, for example, started the C25k program with me several years ago. We completed it, then lost our momentum. When we started back up, he was in better shape than I was, and then he started to train with John. One of John’s big bucket list goals was to run a marathon, so he first did the C25k program with me years ago, and he downloaded that same app but in the marathon version. It started incrementally and gradually built distance and duration. He took Coop along from the beginning, though at some point in the training Cooper topped out at eight miles. And that’s the key: John recognized that 8 miles was as far as Cooper could safely go. Would Cooper go longer? Yep. If John let him, Coop would run until he dropped, but… We monitored his recovery after each run, and that was the point we identified as far enough for him. I do believe he could probably complete a half marathon with John, and he definitely would if given the chance, but we’re also cognizant of the fact that he’s turning eight this year and we need to protect his joints. Will he run more? Maybe. We’re going to start him with chiropractic care soon and may do a sports medicine consult, but we’re happy with him at eight miles (unless it’s too hot, obvi).

The Bottom Line: Running with your dog is an awesome way to bond!

I don’t particularly like to run. Sometimes I hate it. Most of the time I don’t even want to go. Then I harness up Coop, and his tail starts to wag. His ears go back. And he is happy–genuinely, joyfully happy–which makes it worthwhile.

The only thing you need to do to start is to lace up your shoes, leash up your dog, and head outside. No fancy gear required.

If you need a little more inspo, here are a couple posts I’ve written about running with Coop:

Sometimes when I see someone walking their dog down the sidewalk, I watch the dog’s tail swish around happily, head bobbing, taking in all the sniffs. I see dogs stop to greet other people and other dogs out on their walks, or–even better–I see dogs walk past and ignore other people and other dogs out on their walks, and I feel jealous.

Oh, to love a dog who can walk down the street in a calm (even happy!) manner. To stroll the neighborhood without my head on a swivel, spotting and assessing who or what’s ahead and rerouting as necessary. To go to the park and not have to wait in the car until the coast is clear to unload the pup.

None of those things are Cooper, though. They’re just not. And that’s really, truly OK. We love him so thoroughly, quirks and all, that we’re more than willing to adjust our habits and our walks and our routines to make sure he’s happy. Of course we are.

Even though he makes me nuts sometimes, I’m so grateful for Cooper and everything that makes him him.

I found myself frustrated with him the other day because I feel like we’ve plateaued in his training and maybe even back-slid a bit. For a long while, he was OK with people out and about as long as they didn’t have dogs with them and as long as there wasn’t something startling (like getting out of a car right in front of him or, you know, sneezing). Recently, though, he’s started to react to people who talk to us when we’re out, even from afar.

For example, there’s this lady at the end of our block who’s going through chemo, and she’s started this big flower garden in the front of her yard along the sidewalk. Clearly it’s therapeutic for her because she’s often out there working in the dirt, or I’ll go by after a couple days and there’s a whole new patch of flowers planted. Last week, we happened to be out for our walk when she was happily working in her garden. I commented to her how beautiful it was, and she replied–I have no idea what she said though because as soon as she started talking, Coop barked his face off at her. Cue embarrassed wave, mumbled “sorry,” jog away…

I steamed for the rest of our walk. Why can’t he keep his shit together?

Then we got home. He sipped some water. He let the baby climb into his bed. He kissed her cheek.

He followed me up to my office, swishing his tail. He settled behind my desk, and every time I looked at him or talked to him, he’d lift his head. Wag. Scootch closer to me.

He’s my guy, through and through. He’s a family guy. He adores the kitties. He adores friends and family who come over and pet him. He adores the baby. He loves being home. He just is a homebody. He loves laying in the yard and watching the birds. He listens so well and behaves so well at home. He comes when he’s called.

Sure, I wish he could relax and enjoy life outside the house a little more. I feel like he’d get to go so many more places with us and do so many more things, but that’s just not him. And, I’m so grateful for all the things that make him him.

My best friend lost her dog recently. It was an unexpected, sudden, fluke tragedy. My heart is broken for her family, and I miss his easy smile. He was a good boy.

Their lives are too short already. Being cut even shorter is astronomically unfair.

I think about Cooper and all the things that make him Cooper, and I think about him turning eight this summer (EIGHT!), and I’m just so grateful for having him grace my life. I’ve learned more from Cooper than I realized possible–another post for another day, perhaps–and he’s changed my perspective on everything from health and wellness to perseverance.

Yes, we still see other dogs walking nicely on leash in public places, and we turn to each other and say, “Wouldn’t it be nice…”

But then it wouldn’t be Cooper, and Cooper isn’t perfect, but he’s perfectly ours.

What are you grateful for about your dog? Despite or because of his quirks?

Of all the things I’ve ever written about in this space, Cooper’s IHT is the topic that gets the most questions by far. Every single week I hear from someone whose dog started tremoring, they googled the condition, and found our story. While it makes me feel good that I can provide a resource to folks facing the same thing with their dog, it also makes me sad that so many dogs are experiencing this.

The second-most-repeated question is, and I’m paraphrasing here: What is Cooper eating these days? I think the other way people find this space is by googling something like: HALP OMG my dog has allergies! Or: why is my dog so itchy? Or: seriously, wtf is wrong with my dog’s skin?

So, I’m hoping this post can be a bit of a resource. If your dog doesn’t have IHT or your dog doesn’t have allergies, feel free to skim (you never know what might spark a great idea for your pup!) or come back another day. If your dog does have IHT or your dog does have allergies, I’d LOVE for you to weigh in on your diet and routine in the comments. This community grows so strong by sharing our experiences on how best to care for our beloved family members.

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PLEASE NOTE: I’m not a vet. I’m not a vet tech. I’m not involved in any useful medical field in any way. I’m not a dietitian, nor am I anything skilled in any way other than being a writer who obsessively researches ways to take better care of my dog. So, please read this post from that place, knowing I’m sharing my experience. My first recommendation in all things health, diet, routine, and behavior is to see your vet.

How we manage Cooper’s health with diet and routine:

Here’s why I’m lumping together a conversation around allergies and IHT: I theorize that, in Cooper at least, the two are related. I believe that his weak immune system contributes to both, and that when his allergies flare up, his IHT flares up, as well. This is simply a correlation, of course, but an example of this is right now. His eyes are pouring goop, and I can see his ears starting to get itchy… and he’s had two tremors in the last week.

This post isn’t specifically about his bobble-headedness, but if you want to learn more about that, check out these two resources:

What this post is specifically about is how we manage Cooper’s health through his diet and routine. It relates to the IHT and it relates to his allergies because, for full transparency, if he didn’t have those conditions, we’d probably have a much simpler, much cheaper routine. So, here we go:

Diet

We are generally strong proponents of healthy eating around here, and that includes the animals. For a long time, we cooked for Cooper. IF you find your dog is experiencing food sensitivities or allergies, I strongly recommend talking to your vet about an elimination diet. It’s a massive pain in the ass. Truly, a nearly-impossible feat to accomplish (WHY are there half-finished sandwiches on sidewalks?), but it was so, so worth it for us. We figured out many of the things that were causing him big problems and were able to cut them out completely. No more bloody stools! Yay! 🙂 If you’re interested in home cooking, here are a couple resources:

That said, we’re not home cooking for him currently. At some point during our home-cooking adventures, The Honest Kitchen launched a line of limited-ingredient foods. One of the formulas was nearly identical to what we were home cooking, and we gave it a whirl. Thankfully, it worked out, and he’s been happily eating The Honest Kitchen Brave ever since. It saved us a TON of time, though it’s more expensive than cooking, but the time, oh lordy, the time it took to cook… That said, IF he ever needs to switch for any reason, I’m grateful we now know what to do!

Supplements

We’ve tried a zillion supplements, and the key is finding ones that don’t have flavoring from his allergens (like, so many come with beef liver flavoring, which he simply can’t have). So, here’s what he’s on now, how often, and my favorite resource for each:

Every morning at breakfast:

Apoquel

One big scoop of Udo’s Choice, which is basically a vegetarian (no allergens!) multi-vitamin

It looks like a lot, but it goes pretty fast, and we actually share the probiotic and the coconut oil with the kitties, too. (Maybe a post on their routine? Let me know if that’s of interest…)

Exercise and Training

Cooper gets a ton of exercise. He runs with John. He “runs” with me on occasion in nice weather if it’s not too hot but it’s slightly cloudy so as not to be too sunny and I don’t have anything better to do. We hike weekly. I want him lean and strong, so we make sure he gets a ton of physical exercise.

But.

Since this is Cooper we’re talking about, training is important, too, since he flips out when we’re out and about if he sees a scary person (in other words… a person…) or dog. So we do tons and tons and tons of training with him, which sort of is counter to the healthy diet and exercise because it takes a lot of treats. If it’s stuff around the house or yard, or when we’re out and know we won’t see anyone (like, if it’s raining), we use a dehydrated fish treat. If it’s any other scenario–like, there might be people or dogs around–we use squeeze cheese.

It’s easy to carry, easy to dispense, and extremely high-value for him. It’s also disgusting, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Vaccines and Meds

Recently, someone commented that I’d turned my dog into a druggie who was going to die of cancer. Why? Because I give him Apoquel AND I vaccinate him. I want to be super-duper-crystal-clear here: YOU have to decide what’s right for YOUR dog. You should make those decisions in consultation with an expert and by conducting your own thorough research (i.e. not relying only on the first result in a Google query).

That said, yes, Cooper takes Apoquel daily. His skin used to crack and bleed, now it doesn’t. I get that there are side effects, but as with any medication in the world for pets or people, it comes down to weighing potential side effects against potential benefits. In the case of Cooper and Apoquel, the benefits tipped the scale.

He’s also on a flea and tick medication about 10 months out of the year. We hike a lot. We live in a tick-dense area with high incidences of tick-borne illnesses. I’m not willing to let his compromised immune system try to do battle with something as serious as say, lyme disease, so we prevent the risk.

Same with vaccines: I vaccinate Cooper. I believe strongly in vaccines for people and pets. I think that fear and opinion have clouded the science-based discussion around vaccines (another post for another day perhaps???), but it’s the best choice for our family. Plus, Cooper goes to doggy daycare and we do occasionally board him at the same daycare. It’s for his protection, and for the other dogs at daycare.

Other Considerations

I’ve heard amazing things about veterinary chiropractic care recently, and I’ve also been interested in integrative medicine–combining traditional with western medicine, including food and supplements, etc.–and found a practice nearby that we’re going to try very soon. If you guys are interested, I can share our experiences with that.

In conclusion…

I hope this sparked some ideas for you and your pet. If your dog suffers from allergies or IHT, know that I’m here for you to bounce ideas! It’s taken literally FIVE YEARS of trial-and-error to nail down this routine, so I sure hope this helps someone with similar struggles.

If I didn’t cover it all, or if you’re left with questions, please do leave them in the comments below!

Thank you so much for spending your time with me reading all this!! I appreciate you so much!

I remember tucking puppy Cooper into my sweater because he’d get cold and start squeaking. He weighed six pounds. That’s how much Ripley weighs now.

Cooper used to curl up against my stomach while I worked. He’d nestle his tiny face under my arm, I’d scoot in my desk chair, and type away while he dozed like a little kangaroo.

If he thought he could fit, he’d try the same today.

I remember waking up at all hours of the night because puppy Cooper needed to go out or had already had an accident.

I remember falling asleep while listening for the tiniest signs from the crate next to my bed. Poor puppy Cooper. That first year of his life spent in a cone, itching himself to pieces, and ill a lot of the time. And, yet, he played with his brothers, tore up the house playing solo, played in the yard and the kiddie pool, walked and ran and did all the puppy things, despite it all.

We nailed down his health issues, have him on the right food and the right medication, we manage his supplements well, and now he’s squarely a healthy “grown up” at 7. But he does the same today: runs and jumps and plays, skitters, tears up the house (though that’s more metaphorical than literal these days)… and then he cuddles in bed with me and the kitties when it’s time to settle, thankfully without all the overnight waking.

I remember thinking puppy Cooper can learn anything!

He stretched my training abilities to the limit back then because he learned everything immediately. What took Lucas a couple days and Emmett (sweet Emmett) a few weeks to learn, Cooper mastered in a session. He picked up a ton of stuff–some manners, household routines–from watching his brothers. It turned me into a lazy trainer with him because I took it for granted that he’d just figure stuff out.

Now? He picks and chooses. I know this is a controversial topic in the dog training world: Can a dog truly be obstinate? In other words, can a dog know the command, know what you want exactly, but choose to do something differently? Most argue that, well, the dog doesn’t really know the command that well. This is a complex discussion I’m distilling for simplicity, but here’s what I know about Cooper:

He listens with perfect, crystal-clear hearing. He executes with varying degrees of creativity. And if you say in a mock-horrified tone, “Cooper! I’m shocked!” or something similar to express disbelief, he will gaze up into your face, spend a second figuring out if you’re serious or not, and if you can pull off the serious expression, he quickly does the thing exactly as you asked him to do in the first place.

Drives me nuts. (But at the same time I love and adore him for it!)

All this is coming full circle now that Violet is eating solid food. (I totally had a point!! It just took me this long to get to it!!)

He always went to his bed in the corner of the kitchen when we were eating, more as a matter of good manners than anything else.

Now? With his food allergies it’s becoming imperative that he parks his bum on that bed during meal times, but…

He waits until I go to the fridge to get something. He pops up out of his bed, gobbles all the tiny bits of food she drops, then dashes back to his bed before (he thinks) I notice.

Or, Violet snatches up a handful of something–yesterday it was peas–and leans all the way under the table to hand him pieces while giggling her face off. And dear Cooper pops up, goes under the table, and ever so gently takes the proffered peas out of her chubby little fingers.

I really, really, really don’t want him to have any of those flare-ups from all those years ago that kept us up at night, kept him in a cone all day every day, and–most importantly–kept him from enjoying life at top speed.

So, back to the drawing board.

Clearly the bed in the corner is no good because it’s a mere three feet from where Violet sits in her Bumbo graciously doling out food to the animals. (The other day I went to fill her sippy cup, and I turned back to see her hand feeding Newt fistfuls of tofu…)

Obviously we’re going to work with Violet on not feeding the animals. That’s of course part of the plan, but at this point in her development, training Cooper is the faster solution.

I’m torn, too, because part of me thinks… well, it’s just peas. She’s mobile and handsy and falls on him a million times a day no matter how closely I keep an eye on them, so if she feeds him maybe it’ll solidify his positive feelings towards her. But then I can’t change the rules on them both when she’s eating, say, chicken. It would feel so arbitrary to them. Neither Violet nor Cooper would understand.

I remember worrying in those first few months about Cooper with Violet. I remember hoping that he’d take to her (he did) and that he wouldn’t feel neglected or pushed aside (we’ve tried to keep everything the same for him). I remember worrying about him adjusting to all of it.

I couldn’t even fathom–nearly a year ago–that I’d be worrying about Violet feeding Cooper something that would send his body into a tailspin because I honestly couldn’t imagine her sitting in a chair feeding herself!! Just like way back when I tucked Cooper into my sweater to work each day I couldn’t imagine him being healthy and well and training for a half marathon with John.

I remember facing each of Cooper’s challenges along the way and thinking… when will we solve this one?

And we’ve solved them all (mostly…), so I know this will be solved, too.

In the meantime, what is your dinnertime routine with your pup? Do they go to a specific place? Do you all eat together on the couch? Any best practices that work for you and your family?

The other side to that coin, though, is knowing which limits to push and how. Otherwise, you risk becoming stagnant. Pushing limits, too, helps expand your dog’s world bit by tiny, incremental bit.

When I talk about pushing Cooper’s limits and setting training goals for him, I try to think of what my long-term goal is first, then work backwards. What is my desired outcome?

Right now, I’m focused on a big one.

Impulse control.

Of course, that’s a vague concept, but there’s one specific behavior we need to work on: his mat.

Long ago, we worked with an amazing trainer in New Orleans. One of the things she pointed out is his reliance on routine and predictability. We took a walk around our neighborhood, and she noticed that he knew every single house in the entire neighborhood that had a dog in the yard because he would tense up before we got there. An unexpected dog showed up in a yard he didn’t know?

Flip Out City: Population 1.

Same thing with, for instance, a bench at the bus stop. It was plastered with a real estate agent’s face and phone number. He spotted that face from the car and lost it. Or when the church on the corner set out their nativity scene with nearly-life-sized statues. Gonzo.

The trainer called it “strange pictures.” He didn’t like things out of his ordinary. He still doesn’t. If something looks weird or is unpredictable or unexpected, it’s not to be trusted. So, he barks.

He’s always been that way with movement, too. If someone trips (me), he barks. If someone dances in the kitchen while cooking dinner (me), he barks. If someone shrieks and runs around with arms waving (small children), he barks.

Out-of-the-ordinary movement startles him. He barks.

Oddly enough, he has not barked at Violet. I think there are two reasons why: First, he thinks she hung the moon. He just adores her, and I know he realizes that he needs to be careful around her because I can see him modifying his behavior when she’s around. He’s been like that since day one.

Second, her developing movement has happened gradually. She went from being a little lump to wiggling to rolling to scootching to crawling incrementally over the course of eight months.

Now, though, she’s almost 10 months. She’s crawling at top speed. She’s pulling up on everything, falling over, sitting up, falling over, dancing, clonking her head, giving me a heart attack about 975 times a day. She also chatters little baby jargon and shrieks her head off all day long. In fact, her go-to move when she spots one of the animals is to start shrieking with glee and crawling at top speed toward them. Of course, they see/hear her coming and skedaddle before she can get there… to her disappointment…

Anyway, we’ve been lucky that this developing movement has been so gradual, but I want to prevent Coop from starting up his usual barking response if, when she starts actually standing and toddling, that movement makes him uncomfortable. I don’t know that it will, but I want to focus on preventative training.

Specifically, circling back to almost 600 words ago, impulse control.

So, my training goal for the month ahead is to reinforce (erm, restart) his mat work. You guys, we tried to get through the whole Relaxation Protocol twice. I’ll take the blame for our failure to complete the entire thing. The system is sound but I don’t know… We worked on a modified version with our trainer in New Orleans, so I think I might start there then decide if we could benefit from the entire protocol. (Anyone who’s seen it through: worth it???) Since then, we’ve sort of lowered our criteria and accepted him going to either his mat or his bed when we mean to send him to his mat. Gotta work on that…

Bottom line: My goal for Cooper for February is to work on proofing his “on your mat” cue during calm moments, gradually increasing his criteria to chill on his mat (probably with a stuffed food puzzle) in the living room while we’re playing with Violet.

It’s actually the perfect time to be working on this, too, since we’re already mostly stuck in the house with this seemingly-unending winter! Might as well train!

I think we have relatively little time before she’s up and about, toddling and falling all over the place. I’ve been thinking through this plan loosely, and I think February is the month to reinforce the basics, then in March we’ll tackle sending him to his mat to relax with increased distraction.

That’s my goal! How about you? What are you guys working on with your pups this month?

This post is part of the monthly Positive Pet Training Blog Hop! Check out some of the other inspiring posts in the hop below: